Vengeance is Mine
by FaithHopeLove
Summary: He made me do it. Elliot looked down at her in concern. What did he make you do A case hits all of SVU personally. Finished.
1. Default Chapter

AN: Hey there everyone! This story is under the penname FaithHopeLove, but is actually by both FaithHopeLove and Wynter Nytes. Reviews are welcome and appreciated, but please be nice!

Disclaimer: Neither of us owns anything having to do with SVU, or its characters. Dick Wolf does. As for the title, which is part of a passage from the Bible…if we really owned it, we'd be God. Do you think we'd be posting on here?!? We made up the name of the church, if it happens to be a real name of a church…don't hate us! Here's the story!

* * *

Elliot Stabler groaned with relief as he signed something with a flourish. "There! Paperwork is done!" He set the stack of papers aside and leaned back in his chair with a smile of satisfaction. His partner, Detective Olivia Benson, shot him a glare and continued to chew on the end of her pen.

"Don't look so pleased with yourself." She mumbled in annoyance. For the detectives of the sixteenth precinct, a slow day was a good day. However, the paperwork was enough for any of them to wish for a case. Elliot smirked at Olivia, then picked up the picture he had on his desk of his children outside their parish, Our Lady of Grace.

He missed his children, which was no secret. Often, Elliot would wonder why he did this job- he missed so much of his children's lives. But then he would look at a victim and a reminder would slap him in the face. He did it _for_ his kids. And for everyone else that lived in New York City. Still, it was hard to work without even saying hello to his children for…sometimes days. Especially since Kathy had divorced him. Detective Fin Tutuola's voice shook him out of his reverie.

"Hey Elizabeth! Come here to see your dad?"

Elliot looked up at the sound of his daughter's name and, sure enough, there she was, standing in the doorway with a nervous smile.

"I just came to say hi." She said, softly, shyly.

Elizabeth had never been outgoing, and the slightest bit of attention made her uneasy. The thirteen-year-old dropped her backpack on the floor next to her father's desk and threw herself into a chair. Elliot chuckled and leaned forward to kiss his daughter on the cheek.

"Hey, kiddo, long time no see." Elliot said.

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose and began talking about her day at school, becoming more and more relaxed. The other detectives listened contentedly as they finished paperwork. It was nice to have Elizabeth there; she brought some distraction that was hard to fid in such a foreboding environment.

Elliot reached for the picture he had been looking at earlier.

"You know, I was just thinking about you guys earlier." He said, referring to the picture in his hands.

Elizabeth glanced down at the photo and froze. Her eyes became wide and she began to tremble. Elliot recognized these motions. It was fear. Dread washed over him. What was his daughter so afraid of?

"Honey, are you okay?" Elliot reached forward to steady Elizabeth's shaking arm, but as soon as he touched her, she jerked back with a cry of pain. Elliot stood up, now deeply worried, and gently grabbed Elizabeth's hand. He gently pushed up her sleeve and gasped when he revealed a large, ugly bruise. Elizabeth, now sobbing, collapsed against her father.

As the other detectives looked on in worry, Elliot gently rocked Elizabeth back and forth. Elizabeth began to choke out words that he could barely make out.

"So sorry…didn't want to do it…he made me."

Elliot, panicking, rested his chin on top of Elizabeth's head and whispered.

"What did he make you do?"

Elizabeth stopped crying. She tilted her face up to her father, her eyes red, watery and filled with pain and humiliation.

"What did he make you do?" Elliot repeated, his voice reflecting the pain he felt for his daughter, and the pain he felt in not knowing who they were talking about.

Elizabeth, her voice ragged, replied, "He raped me."

Elliot's world suddenly became very dark. Something he dealt with every day, something he saw happen to people every day, had just happened to his daughter. He looked over at Fin, Munch, and Olivia, their faces reflecting the horror he felt. Elliot, tears in his eyes, kissed his daughter and resumed rocking her back and forth.

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AN: Alright people, let's get the reviews flowing! 


	2. Chapter Two

AN: We'd first like to let it be known how touched we are by the reviews we've gotten! We love hearing from you! Keep them coming!

Sorry it took us a while to update- school has started up again, and with it comes homework, clubs, extra-curricular and everyday life! So sorry for the delay, and we apologize if from here on updates are less frequent- final exams are coming up, teachers are piling on homework without mercy and…all that jazz. The joys of high school life!

And I, FaithHopeLove, would like to apologize for how long its taken me to update my other story- I'll never write two at once again! The next chapter of 'In the Name of God the Father' will be posted by the end of the weekend!

Anyways, on with the long-awaited hahaha! second chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

Casey Novak walked into the SVU precinct. And found complete silence, except for Elizabeth sobbing and Elliot trying to comfort her, rocking her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's all over now. It's over. It's okay. I've got you. Angel, it's okay."

Casey walked to Olivia, horror filling her. She'd seen darkness in SVU, and that had taught her to expect the worst.

"What happened?" Casey whispered.

Olivia felt tears burning in her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She never cried.

"Elizabeth was raped."

"What?" Casey hissed. "Oh my God!"

Casey looked towards Elliot and Elizabeth in concern. Hers and Elliot's eyes met for a moment, a brief glance before Elliot stroked Elizabeth's hair and miraculously found the strength to speak.

"'Lizzie," Elliot said, fighting back his emotions, "We need to know what happened."

"I know…" She whispered.

"Come on." Elliot said, leading his daughter to the nearest interrogation room.

Casey was the first to move; kneeling at Elliot's desk to pick up a picture in a shattered frame. She smiled down at it. It was Elliot's children outside Our Lady of Grace. They were beaming in it, laughing at something, Father Joseph smiling at them in the background. It was recent. Elizabeth looked so happy then as she smiled up at Maureen. Elizabeth had been so carefree, so young, so…innocent. And now all of that was shattered. Casey wanted blood probably as much as Elliot. She headed towards the questioning room, knocked on the door and stuck her head in.

"Hey you guys," She said softly, "Can I come in?"

"Casey. Hi." Elizabeth said, now fighting to act normal.

"Hey, 'Liz. So, do you know who did this to you?"

Elizabeth felt so dirty. Did she know? Of course she knew. And more than anything on the planet, she wished she didn't.

"Yes." Elizabeth whispered.

"Who did it?" Elliot asked, putting his arm around his daughter.

"It was Father Joseph." Elizabeth said.

Casey felt her jaw drop, and she forced it shut. Father Johnson…she, Elliot, and all of Elliot's children went to his parish. Casey had trusted him. She'd confessed to him. She'd never suspected a thing. She'd been an idiot.

Elliot blinked. He'd been attending the parish for years…ever since he'd married Kathy. They'd both trusted him, confessed to him. He'd baptized all their children, served his children their first communions, had been there for their first confessions. Never, not once, had he suspected that Father Joseph would do something like that…he'd been wrong. A complete idiot. And now his daughter was paying for it. He tried to speak, to ask her how it had happened, but couldn't. He looked over at Casey, who asked it for him.

"How did it happen?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and tried to calm herself as she prepared to tell her story. Fear washed over her, and nausea began to fill her senses, but she forced it down. The pain in her father's eyes made her stronger. She had to tell the story. For him, for her…for her entire family.

"It happened when I went to the parish…after school today," She began, her voice wavering. Tears began to show, but she angrily wiped them away. She would be strong. She was going to get through this.

"I had left my purse at mass on Sunday." She looked at her father, "You know, the purple one mom bought me."

Elliot nodded, trying to keep his daughter talking. On the outside, he looked like a worried, caring father. On the inside, anger and rage filled him with a force that scared him. How could anyone do this to his baby girl? He started to imagine all the painful things he could do to Father Joseph, but was brought back to reality by his daughter speaking again.

"F-father Joseph met me at the door, and I asked him if he'd seen it. He said that he had, and that he'd put it in his office…"

Casey pulled out a chair, and sat down beside Elizabeth. She put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and began to rub it comfortingly.

She had handled these types of cases before, but none of them had ever affected her so deeply. She wanted to kill the bastard that had done this to Elizabeth. Looking at Elliot, she knew that he did, too.

"Keep going, honey." She said softly.

* * *

Outside, John and Fin stared at the paperwork they were supposed to be doing. Similar thoughts raced through their minds. _Why Elizabeth? Why Elliot's kid? Why anyone? **Why? **_Cragen came out of his office, files in hand.

"Benson, Stabler…" The words died on his lips as he saw Elliot's empty desk. He turned to Olivia with a questioning glance. She said nothing, just gave him a look filled with pain and distress.

"What's going on?" He asked slowly, dreading the answer, knowing it wasn't good.

Fin sighed and stood up.

"Elizabeth's been raped," He said softly, "Casey and Elliot are questioning her."

Cragen closed his eyes. He couldn't believe this. He forced his eyes open, and an air of superiority and business took hold of him. He would treat this like any other case. He had to.

"Get Huang down here and see if he wants to talk with Elliot or Lizzie…Elizabeth."

Fin nodded, and sat back down as Casey came out of the interrogation room, tears in her eyes.

"The bastard raped her in his office."

"Who did it?" Munch asked.

"The priest of the parish that she, Elliot, the rest of Elliot's family and I all…go to…" She said, her voice dying as she whispered the last couple words. Forcing it out, she said, "Elliot's going to take her to the hospital soon."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the door to the interrogation room opened, and Elliot and Elizabeth stepped out. Elizabeth looked miserable, and it was obvious that she'd been crying.

Cragen's heart went out to both of them. It would be a while before either of them felt their pain recede. Elizabeth walked past Cragen and bent down to pick up her backpack. She winced slightly as a bruise on her back bent and twisted with her body. Elliot noticed, and gently took the bag from her.

"We need to take you to the hospital." He said gently.

Elizabeth looked frightened at the prospect of having doctors poke and prod at her, but nodded anyway. Olivia quickly stood and put her hand on Elliot's shoulder, stopping him.

"Uh, Elliot…maybe I should take her…you need to call Kathy."

Elliot's heart sank at the mention of his former wife's name. How was he going to tell Kathy that their baby girl had been raped? And by a person they had trusted, no less? After thinking carefully, he nodded. Having a woman there would be better for Elizabeth anyway.

"'Lizzie," He said quietly, kneeling down to his daughter's height, "Olivia's going to take you, okay? I have to call your mom."

Elizabeth nodded, and hesitated before asking the next question.

"What about Father Joseph?"

Elliot felt his anger flare at the mention of the bastards name. Munch, however, answered for him.

"We'll get him, Elizabeth. Don't worry."

Elizabeth gave them a shaky smile before letting Olivia lead her out the door.

Elliot sighed, and picked up his phone. This was going to be the hardest call he'd ever made.

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Alright people, let's see some reviews!!! 


	3. Chapter Three

AN: Sorry it took so long to update! Life is so busy, isn't it? Thanks for such sweet reviews. A couple people asked why it was Casey in interrogation and not Olivia…you'll see! **Evil smirk** This chapter has a bit more of Olivia in it.

Here's chapter three, enjoy!

* * *

Olivia and Elizabeth sat in the waiting room of Mercy Hospital, Elizabeth looking like she might jump up at bolt from the room at any second. Olivia squeezed Elizabeth's hand in comfort, silently giving her a message that everything would be okay. Elizabeth sighed and gave Olivia a shaky smile.

"Stabler?" A nurse called from the door.

Elizabeth stood on trembling legs and tentatively followed the nurse into an examining room, Olivia in tow. Olivia offered to stay outside, but Elizabeth kept a firm grip on the detective's hand, and Olivia gave her a small smile.

Throughout the examination, Elizabeth kept her eyes clamped shut, as if to block out the horrors of the world. Olivia stroked the girl's hair, not even being able to imagine what Elizabeth felt.

Elizabeth, however, felt nothing.

She was numb to the world. Numb to touch, numb to emotion, numb to _everything._ She felt as if she had failed her father somehow. Failed him by getting raped. He had always been so protective of her, and she had failed him! Elizabeth held back her tears of pain and embarrassment. She would be strong, maybe that would let him down just a little less.

"Okay, sweetheart," The doctor said, putting away her equipment, "You can get dressed now."

Doctor Engval was a kind young woman, who had been as gentle as possible. She'd known Elliot since he had started working with SVU, and it broke her heart to see his daughter like this. Elizabeth sat up and began to pull on her clothing.

Doctor Engval pulled Olivia off to the side and whispered softly, so as to not alert Elizabeth.

"She was definitely raped. Lots of bruising and irritation is evident. So, you're going to send the semen sample to the lab, right?"

"Yes," Olivia said, her eyes flashing. She wanted to kill whoever had done this to Elizabeth…unless Elliot got there first. He'd probably do a better job.

"Take care of her." The doctor whispered.

Olivia nodded and forced back her emotions as she said.

"Don't worry, we will. Thanks for everything you've done."

Olivia turned to Elizabeth and squeezed the girl's hand.

"You did great, sweetheart. Come on, I'll buy you a burger."

Elizabeth smiled, and gave Olivia a hug.

"Thanks for being here."

Olivia felt her heart sink at the despair in Elizabeth's voice. But she forced a grin and hugged her back.

"Always, Lizzie."

* * *

Elliot sighed as he heard Kathy say hello.

"Kathy? It's Elliot."

"Oh. Hi. What can I…help you with?" She asked tightly.

"It's Elizabeth." Elliot said, forcing out the next few words, "She's been raped."

Kathy screamed, and Elliot could hear her crying, which only made him cry harder.

"It…it was Father Joseph…" Elliot whispered.

Kathy let out a sob.

"Elliot…I…I…"

"What?"

"Elizabeth told me and I didn't believe her! Oh, God…"

Elliot felt his heart sink. She hadn't believed her? Elizabeth had tried to ask her mother for help and had just been pushed away? What about the rest of their children, was she ignoring them, too?

"Are you insane?!" Elliot shouted, "She tried to come to you for help and you didn't believe her? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Casey took the phone from Elliot, gently setting it down.

"Ell, chill. Take a few deep breaths. Your daughter is going to be back soon, she needs someone to be strong for her. Her mother might have let her down, don't let her down, too."

Elliot sat down, gasping for air, then decided to not force his tears back.

"How could someone do this to her, Casey? My little girl…my baby…Oh, God…"

Casey felt her heart breaking. She knew Elizabeth must be feeling horrible, and that Elliot was just getting hit with wave after wave of sadness. She gently hugged her friend, offering what little support she could give him. Looking at Cragen, she knew he could sense what she was trying to ask.

"Elliot," Cragen said, "Take the weekend off. Be with your kids. When Elizabeth gets here, take her home."

"Thanks, Captain." Elliot said.

Casey stood beside him as he wiped his eyes, then, as if on cue, Elizabeth and Olivia walked in. The hell Elizabeth had been put through was evident in her eyes.

"Come on, sweetheart," Elliot offered, "I'll take you home."

"I don't want to go back there." Elizabeth cried.

Olivia looked questioningly at Elliot, then at Elizabeth.

"Kathy didn't believe her," Elliot explained, "It's okay, honey, you can stay with me. Let's go."

Elliot took his daughter's backpack from Olivia, then realized that Elizabeth had no jacket on. He gently wrapped his suit jacket around her, leading her to the car.

* * *

As they were driving, Elliot heard his daughter sob.

Elizabeth hadn't felt it coming on, but suddenly she felt all her promises to be strong fly out the window. She looked up at her father, who was looking at her in concern, which just made her cry harder.

"I'm sorry, daddy."

Elliot pulled the car over so he could look his daughter in the eye.

"Elizabeth, what are you sorry about?"

"For letting you down. God, I mean, the daughter of a sex detective getting raped? For being stupid enough to let it happen! How many times in an average week do you drill me on the do's and don'ts?"

Elliot forced his jaw shut, praying that the power of his will was enough to keep him calm.

"Elizabeth, look at me." He said, firmly. "I may drill you on the do's and don'ts, but I hope I've told you that if someone does rape you, it's never your fault."

Seeing the look on his daughter's face made Elliot tear up as well. But he forced his emotions back.

"Come here, sweetie." He said, gently pulling his daughter into a hug.

He sighed, knowing very well how hard the coming months would be.

* * *

Casey Novak lay in bed that night. It was twelve o'clock, and she knew she wasn't going to be getting much sleep that night. She looked over to her nightstand, and saw the church directory. _Guess who else isn't sleeping right now…_She thought. She picked up the phone, and dialed Elliot, who picked up on the second ring.

"Stabler."

"Elliot, it's Casey. How's Elizabeth doing?"

"She's tired, confused, having nightmares. But…somehow I just know she'll be okay, you know?" He said.

Casey smiled, remembering the times she'd spent with the family after mass and other events around the parish.

"She's a tough girl, Ell. She'll be fine."

She heard Elliot inhale deeply.

"I have the kids tomorrow, and we decided to try and find another parish. Would you…like to come?"

"I'd love to be there. Are you sure your kids won't mind?" Casey asked, unsure as to how the Stabler children would feel about her being around now that Elliot and Kathy were divorced.

"Great. No, they won't mind." Elliot said. "Should we pick you up for ten-ish?"

"Sure." Casey said. "Sounds good. See you then."

She had to lie to him. The truth was she wondered if anything would ever seem good again.

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	4. Chapter Four

AN: Sorry to take so long to update, everyone! Life has been incredibly hectic, final exam time is just wrapping up, the flu has been going around, homework loads have been insane. Anyways. Thanks to everyone who reviewed; keep 'em coming, we love getting them!

The name of the parish St. Mary's in this chapter is widely used; we meant to offend no one. If we did, we're sorry.

As should be assumed, since this story is about a family who's Catholic, there's the religious talk that FaithHopeLove tends to be famous for. If you don't like it, don't read it. Wynter Nytes would like to say thanks for all the reviews and support! Much love!

We don't own SVU. If we did, that would rock. But we don't. Dick Wolf does. Like you didn't know that.

* * *

Elliot smiled at Casey as she walked towards his car, and got into the front seat, surprised at how different she looked when she wasn't in the courthouse. In jeans, a tank top and runners, she looked almost like a different person.

"Hey, you guys." She said, waving at the kids.

Elizabeth smiled at the ADA, refusing to let the pain in her eyes show.

"Hey Casey."

"So, what's new with you guys?" Casey asked.

Elizabeth forced back her smirk, refusing to voice her thoughts. Let's see…I was raped for one thing, I feel like a whore, I'm petrified at the very thought of laying eyes on Father Joseph, let alone testifying against him, if he doesn't get arrested I'll have a nervous breakdown…yeah, I think that sums it up.

The silence that surrounded her proved that she had indeed voiced her thought.

"Did I just say that out loud?" She squeaked.

"'Liz. Your not in any way a whore, this wasn't your fault. We're going to arrest him, and we're still a while away from the trial. But I don't want you to worry, okay? We're going to put him away." Casey answered, forcing her tears back. She wouldn't cry. She needed to be strong for Elizabeth.

"You're right, Casey." Elizabeth said. She blushed, then quickly changed the subject.

"Is Maureen coming with us?"

"She's going to meet us at St. Mary's." Elliot offered.

"Cool," Dickie said.

* * *

Elizabeth stayed at Maureen's side as the family, plus Casey, filed into the Church. Elliot went to go talk to the priest, whereas Casey chose to stay with the kids. Kathleen looked around.

"Wow. It's really big."

"It is." Casey agreed, just as Elliot walked back in with the priest.

"You guys," He said, "This is Father Matthews. Father, these are my children Maureen, Kathleen, Dickie, and Elizabeth. And our friend, Casey."

"It's nice to meet you all. Welcome to St. Mary's."

"I'm gonna go say a prayer…" Elliot said tentatively.

"I'll go with you." Casey threw in, knowing what he would be praying about. He'd need a friend.

"Why don't I show you guys the youth room?" Father Matthews offered.

Dickie and Kathleen quickly started walking beside him. Elizabeth hung back, but Maureen squeezed her hand in reassurance. Slowly, but surely, she started to follow her brother, Maureen right behind her.

* * *

Back in the chapel, Elliot was just pulling down the kneeler when Casey sat beside him.

"How could God let this to her, Casey? How could God let it happen to anyone?"

Casey tried to think of something to say that might offer him some comfort. But really…would anything comfort him right now? _The truth shall set you free…_

"I don't know, Ell," She admitted, "I don't know why these things happen. I do know that God doesn't want it to, but…who knows why it happens? The devil does have some control in this world."

"Yeah, a bit too much. She was just a little girl, Casey. Now her life is as shattered as the frame I had that picture in."

"Do you believe in miracles?" Casey asked.

Elliot looked up, and Casey was shocked at the hate and disbelief he had in his eyes as he looked at the crucifix on the altar.

"I used to."

"Really? Because I still do. Look at Elizabeth. She's surrounded by people who love her, and she's slowly rebuilding her life with the help of you and the rest of her family. It takes time, Ell. But it happens. And when it does, it's a miracle. And look at yourself, Elliot. You've helped hundreds of victims, some of them have closure thanks to _you_. God's performed miracles through you. And he still will. So don't give up now."

"I don't know what to say…" Elliot said, "Thank you."

"Let's pray." Casey offered, putting an arm around him as they kneeled.

* * *

Elizabeth tentatively looked around the youth room as Dickie, Kathleen and Maureen started a game of air hockey. Feeling alone, Elizabeth merely stood in the doorway. However, she wasn't alone for long. A shadow fell across her path and she turned around quickly, all defenses immediately kicking in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." A friendly voice said. Elizabeth sighed inwardly. It was Father Matthews. Still tense, Elizabeth forced a polite smile.

"It's alright. I guess I'm just a little jumpy." Father Matthews smiled gently and put his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Would you like?" But he was cut off by a blood-chilling scream. Elizabeth's scream.

* * *

After they had finished praying, Casey and Elliot had set about wandering the parish aimlessly; not really going anywhere, just enjoying each other's company. Elliot laughed softly at a joke Casey made and then stopped walking.

"You know, I just want to… thank you for being here. I know that Elizabeth really appreciates having you here." Casey smiled and grasped Elliot's hand gently. She squeezed it comfortingly.

"I'm glad I'm here too." They continued walking, their hands still pressed together. Elliot looked down at their intertwined fingers and stopped once again.

"You know, I was wondering?" A high-pitched shriek rang throughout the parish, jerking Elliot and Casey away from their nice conversation. Instantly, Elliot's mind went to his youngest daughter.

_Elizabeth_… He darted frantically towards the youth room, Casey inches behind. As they burst through the doorway, Elliot caught a glimpse of a confused and concerned Father Matthews, before his eyes immediately went to Elizabeth, who was curled up into a ball in a corner. He raced towards her and wrapped his arms around her, his heart beating like a drum.

"Honey, what is it?" He asked anxiously, scanning her body quickly for signs of injury. Elizabeth, sobbing hysterically, threw herself into her father's arms, clinging to him with every last bit of strength she had. Unable to fathom the type of horrors that ran rampant through his daughter's mind, Elliot hugged Elizabeth close to him and rocked her gently back and forth…

"_Father Joseph?" Elizabeth called before pushing on his office door. Father Joseph, a middle-aged man, sat at his desk, going through some papers. He looked up when she entered, and smiled kindly. _

"_Yes, Elizabeth?" Elizabeth shyly entered the room and asked if he had found her purse. Father Joseph grinned and stood, retrieving a box from underneath his desk. He set it in front of her. _

"_Go ahead and look through it. I trust you enough to know that you won't steal anything." He teased. Elizabeth smiled in reply and bent her head to root through the plastic crate. Father Joseph disappeared behind her. She heard a faint click behind her, but thought nothing of it as she dug deeper. Finally, she found the item she had been searching for. Looking down at it to make sure all its contents were in place, she thanked Father Joseph. _

"_Thank you so much; I've been looking everywhere for this." She turned to go, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. _

"_You don't think you're going anywhere now, do you?" Elizabeth looked up, confused. Then she backed away at the look in Father Joseph's eyes. His hand tightened on her shoulder, and he forced her down onto the ground._

"_Wait… DON'T!"_

"Don't!" Elizabeth gasped out loud. She wrenched herself from her father's grip and dashed out of the room. Casey went to follow, but Elliot stopped her.

"No! Someone needs to explain her… behavior to Father Matthew." He said forcefully. Before Casey could reply, Maureen interjected.

"I'll do it." She said. "You both go and find Elizabeth." Elliot nodded and, along with Casey, left the room in search of Elizabeth

"Is she alright?" Father Matthews asked, concerned.

"Father, we've all been raised Catholic. We've been attending 'Our Lady of Grace' all our lives. We left because…our priest…raped Elizabeth."

"Oh, no!" Father Matthews said, concern showing through his eyes, "Please, my dear, tell your sister I'm sorry for assuming that everything would be fine. And please, for your whole family, especially Elizabeth, that I'm here for all of you if any of you need someone to talk about it with."

"Thank you, Father," Maureen said, "I can't tell you how much that means to us. I'll tell them. I'm sure we'll see you on Sunday. If you'll excuse us…we should probably go."

"The Lord is with you," He offered, smiling.

"And also with you," Maureen said, automatically giving the standard reply.

It may have been standard.

But she felt it in every inch of her soul.

* * *

Alright people, let's see some reviews! 


	5. Chapter Five

AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! We both enjoy hearing from you, and we can never get enough input, so please keep the reviews coming!

For those of you that requested Huang, we love him, too, and he'll be in here…not in this chapter, but in the story! We promise!

This chapter contains a graphic flashback, decide for yourself if you can handle it.

So, without further ado…the fifth chapter!

* * *

Fin and Munch grimly walked up the pathway to Our Lady of Grace parish. They were instructed to go and find Father Joseph before Elliot had time to attack him first.

"Fin, Munch." Cragen called. The two detectives rose from their seats and listlessly marched into their Captain's office. Cragen shut the door behind them with a tight snap.

"_I want you to go and find Father Joseph," he said. Fin and Munch exchanged glances before Fin spoke up._

"_I thought Elliot wanted to be a part of this," Fin stated. Cragen nodded and smiled grimly. _

"_He will be. But I know Elliot would rip Father Joseph to pieces if he was the one to go and retrieve him." Munch raised an eyebrow. _

"_And what makes you think we won't hurt Father Joseph?" Cragen moved past them and opened the door, a signal for them to leave._

"_Oh, I know you'll hurt him. But Elliot would kill him, and I'd rather the bastard go through a trial and let an entire gang of perverts kill him."_

Fin and Munch walked through the door and were greeted by an elderly woman. They flashed their badges and the woman's polite smile faltered.

"Good morning, Detectives. How may?"

"Where's Father Joseph?" Fin growled, not in the mood for civility. The woman looked taken aback for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"Well, he's certainly not here, young man," she replied briskly, "He hasn't been here all week." Munch glanced at Fin.

"Do you have his address, my dear?" Munch asked, figuring a more polite approach would get them further. The woman smiled at him, but not before shooting a nasty glance in Fin's direction.

"Yes, of course." She disappeared for a moment, and then returned with Father Joseph's address on a slip of paper. Munch glanced at it and then thanked the woman before he and his partner left the parish.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the two detectives stood at the door of a respective townhouse. Fin pounded on the door.

"Father Joseph, this is the police!" he shouted. "Open up, we need to talk with you!" A crash sounded within the house- Munch and Fin immediately drew their guns.

"OPEN UP!" Fin repeated. A sound like a door slamming caught the detective's attention. Munch ran around the side of the house, just in time to see a man disappear behind a fence.

"Fin!" Munch took off after the man, his partner close behind him. Munch turned a corner into an alley, and stopped. Nothing was there. He cursed loudly and kicked a nearby garbage can. They had lost him.

* * *

Elliot knocked on his daughter's door. He heard her small voice from within and he stuck his head in the room. Elizabeth was sitting on her bed, putting on a pair of high heels. It was Sunday, and the Stabler family was preparing to go to mass at their new parish. Elliot, however, wasn't sure if Elizabeth was emotionally ready to go.

"Are you sure you want to do today?" he asked, coming into the room. "Because we can always wait a while if you're too uncomfortable." Elizabeth smiled; a real smile, and patted a spot on her bed beside her. Elliot walked over and sat down. Elizabeth put her head on his shoulder and hugged him close.

"If I wasn't ready to go, I'd tell you." She replied. In truth, Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was ready to go, but she wanted to face her fears. She could tell her father still looked uncertain however, and she laughed.

"I'll make you a deal, daddy," she said, "I'll go and talk to someone about the way I feel about the… rape, and you let me go to mass." Elliot was surprised at the light-hearted tone in his daughter's voice. It was as if nothing had ever happened. But Elliot did want Elizabeth to talk to someone; he felt she was keeping her feelings inside- and he knew that wasn't healthy.

"And since I know how much you hate shrinks," his daughter continued, "I'll go and see one I like- Huang." Elliot smirked and hugged his daughter. He couldn't understand why Elizabeth liked Huang so much. Whenever Elliot spoke to him, even casually, he always felt like Dr. Huang was trying to shrink him. Elliot laughed and kissed his daughter on the top her head.

"Deal."

* * *

"You lost him?" Cragen shouted, in complete disbelief. "You lost him! That's not good enough!"

"I'm sorry, Captain." Munch said, regret filling him.

"Well, you two get to be the one's to tell Stabler that his daughter's rapist is on the loose thanks to your…damnit! Get his photo out there, I want it on the news nationwide, he could be _anywhere_."

"It's already done," Fin said, also sad at losing the bastard.

"Good. Call Stabler before he finds out on television."

* * *

The Stablers, and Casey, filed, for the second time that week, into St. Mary's, which was, conveniently, closer to their house then their previous parish. Father Matthews was standing at the door, greeting his parishioners.

"Well, if it isn't the Stablers! Welcome!" His eyes fell on Elizabeth, and he smiled down gently at her.

"Elizabeth. I'd like to apologize for instantly assuming that you'd be fine with me touching you. If you'd ever like to talk about what happened, my door's always open."

Elizabeth was touched.

"I accept your apology…and _I'm _sorry for making such a big deal out of it."

"It wasn't your fault," He said quietly.

"Could we talk for a minute after mass?" She asked.

"Of course. I'll see you then."

Elliot was both pleased and proud of his daughter's mature and brave attitude. Clearly, it was a huge step. She walked beside him and hugged him as they reached a pew. Elliot kneeled to genuflect, and his eyes fell on Casey. _Wow…_ was all he could think. _Focus on God, Stabler, focus on God…

* * *

_

Father Matthews smiled at Elizabeth as she quietly walked into his office.

"Have a seat, Elizabeth." He offered warmly, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"The…rape." She said, forcing out the last word. "I guess I need to let some of it out…I haven't told anyone but the police, and even with them I didn't go into everything…"

"Alright. Tell me whatever you want to, sweetheart." He said, "Do you want the door closed?"

"No!" Elizabeth said, gasping, then taking a deep breath, "Sorry…he locked me in his office when he…he…"

She couldn't hold in her tears anymore, and started to cry.

Father Matthews heart went out to her. _This shouldn't happen to anyone_, he thought, _let alone by their priest…_He slowly walked over to her and tentatively put his hand over hers.

"I'd left my purse at the parish…I went there to ask him if he'd seen it…I was looking though this box in his office for it, and I went to go and…he grabbed my shoulder…he said 'You don't think you're going anywhere now, do you?'…And then he forced me onto the ground…"

"_Wait, DON'T!" _

_Father Joseph put his hand over her mouth, still pinning her down._

"_Scream, and it will be worse." He threatened._

_Elizabeth screamed as he pulled her skirt down, trying desperately to get him off her._

"_I'm only going to warn you this time, Elizabeth! Don't do that, or it will be worse!"_

_Elizabeth didn't care. She fought him with everything she had. He pulled his robe up and forced himself on her, and she cried out in pain…_

Elizabeth cried out in Father Matthews office, her arm shaking.

"Elizabeth, it's okay. What are you remembering?"

Elizabeth snapped back to reality.

"He raped me." She said, sobbing, "He raped me…oh, God, why?"

Father Matthews gently hugged the child, silently praying for her until her sobs subsided.

"You don't have to keep going if you don't want to."

"No…no, I want to."

* * *

Elliot smiled at his family, then over at Casey, who was standing beside him.

"Casey…would you like to go out for coffee with me tonight?"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" She asked, shocked.

"Yes…" Elliot said.

"Yes, I'd love to go."

Elliot smiled, then clued in on the fact that the kitchen was silent, his children staring at them, Kathleen smirking.

"It's about damn time!" She shouted.

Elliot and Casey both laughed. _Elizabeth's taking a while at the parish…_Elliot thought. _Maybe I should call…_

His thoughts were cut off by the phone ringing.

"Stabler," He said, "Fin, hi…**what?**"

* * *

Elizabeth walked into her house, shocked to find her family sitting in the living room, waiting for her, their faces pale.

"What?" She asked.

"Fin and Munch went to arrest Father Joseph and he…"

Elizabeth could hear her father speaking after that, but the words were fading in and out…the room was getting so hot…

"Elizabeth? Sweetheart?" She heard Casey call her name, then scream, "_Elizabeth!_"

Then everything went black.


	6. Chapter Six

AN: Thanks for the reviews you guys! We're sorry it's taken us this long to post a chapter when that last one was such a cliffhanger…please **don't** hate us! Please **do** review!

* * *

Elizabeth was trapped in a swirling mass of grays and blacks. It was so warm here, why should she care if she couldn't leave? Back to him.

I think I'll rest a little more… Elizabeth thought to herself. So…warm. Suddenly, much to her dislike, a voice, somewhat familiar, called out to her. The voice made her feel cold, and she didn't like that. She wanted to be warm and safe, not cold and insecure. So Elizabeth turned away from the voice, nestling deeper into the darkness around her.

"Elizabeth…" she groaned, annoyed now. Why couldn't this person leave her be?

"Elizabeth… you need to wake up…"

Wake up? Wasn't she already awake?

She opened her eyes.

* * *

Dr. George Huang had received a call from a very panicked Elliot Stabler. He had heard of Elizabeth's rape, and was deeply concerned. Elizabeth was very special to him. She didn't treat him like a shrink. She treated him like a friend.

So when Elliot called from the hospital, saying Elizabeth had collapsed, George had no problem leaving his empty apartment and rushing to Mercy General. He now sat at Elizabeth's side, watching the young girl struggle to stay away from harsh reality of consciousness, and remain within the comforting depths of her mind.

He hated to have to pull her away from that. Gently placing his hand on Elizabeth's pale arm, he called her name softly, trying to awake her. After a few moments of pushing and prodding, Elizabeth began to stir. George held his breath, hoping she would wake calmly.

* * *

Elizabeth opened her eyes. And instantly shut them again. A blinding light was above her, making her head roar in protest. She heard a clicking noise in the distance, and then a very familiar voice ask,

"Is that better, Liz?" Elizabeth opened one eye, and saw that the lights were dimmed comfortably. Where was she?

"Liz?"

She turned towards the speaker and almost smiled at the person she saw there.

George Huang saw the twitch of her lips and smiled inwardly. At least she was happy to see him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly. "Are you okay?" Elizabeth tried to sit up, but stopped immediately as her head began to pound. George fluffed the pillow behind her head and pulled her blankets up higher.

"Hey, you should take it easy…you've been through some rough times…" Elizabeth finally found her voice.

"What happened?" she asked in a raspy voice. Face grim, George handed her a cup of water before launching into an explanation.

"You fainted after you found out that… that Father Joseph had… escaped." Elizabeth coughed suddenly as she inhaled the water. George took the cup from her and made small, comforting shushing noises.

"He's going to come after me…" Elizabeth whispered. "He knows I told… I shouldn't have told… this is all my fault." Tears began to stream down her face as she began to breathe heavily. George placed his hand on her head and rubbed it in a soothing manner. He forced her chin up and looked her directly in the eye.

"Listen to me, Liz." He began, "This is NOT your fault. Don't you ever think that!" He leaned down and gave her a comforting hug as Elizabeth sobbed in his shirt. A few moments passed before Elizabeth had calmed down enough to ask,

"Where are dad and Casey?" George sat back in his chair.

"They're with your siblings. So for now, you're stuck with me."

* * *

Elliot and Casey were on their way back to the hospital from Kathy's house. They had dropped off Kathleen and Rich at the house, and Maureen at her dorm, not wanting them to be frightened and worrying for Elizabeth in a hospital environment. Elliot was still shaking from the incident. When Elizabeth had collapsed… no, he couldn't think about it. He just needed to focus on helping Elizabeth.

Casey, sensing his worry, placed a comforting hand on his arm. "She'll be all right." She murmured. "You heard the doctors… and besides, Huang is there with her." Elliot had instantly relaxed when she touched his arm. Her mere presence was soothing to him.

Elliot smiled over at her, and Casey felt a wave of heat wash over her. What was wrong with her? She opened her mouth to speak, but a car honked behind them, pushing their attention back to the road. Elliot looked back at the driver behind them, and in doing so, noticed Kathleen's backpack in the back seat. He groaned.

"Kathleen left her bag… she's going to need that!" He turned into Mercy General Hospital and pulled into a parking space. "We'll go back after the hospital releases her." Casey nodded, but her attention was wandering.

Why am I acting so weird around Elliot? It is just Elliot…Casey thought to herself. As they walked into the hospital and towards Elizabeth's room, Casey glanced at Elliot through the corner of her eye. His face was blank, dead of any emotion. It's just the stress of the case… she reassured herself. Nothing more.

Her mind instantly went to Elizabeth as they reached her room. They looked in through the window and saw Elizabeth talking with Huang. Smiling and laughing even! They entered the room and Elizabeth looked up, her face instantly breaking into a smile as she saw her father.

"Daddy!" she jumped off the bed and embraced Elliot. Elliot hugged her back, holding her as if he could shield her from the world's evil and pain. "Are you here to take me home?" Elliot nodded and grabbed Elizabeth's things off the bed.

"Yep. The doctor says you're ready to go home to your mother." Elizabeth's face fell at the mention of her mother.

"Dad, do I have to go stay with her?" Elliot's heart almost broke at the look on his daughter's face. He sighed and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I'll talk to her… but I know she wants to see you again, and apologize." Elizabeth nodded and turned to Huang. She gave him a tight hug and mumbled a thank you into his chest. Huang, smiling, patted her back, and with a quiet, "come talk to me anytime," left the room.

Casey looked down at Elizabeth. "Ready to go?" Elizabeth nodded jovially, her happy façade back once more.

* * *

The ride to Kathy's was silent. Elizabeth really didn't want to go, and was dreading seeing her mother again. As they pulled into the driveway, Elliot could here muffled shouting from within. He couldn't tell what was being said, but he had a feeling it wasn't anything good.

Elliot stepped out of the car and quickened his pace as the shouting got louder and louder. Suddenly, the door burst open, and Kathleen came running out, sobbing, followed by Dickie, who also looked upset. Kathy soon followed, not noticing Elliot. She had a look of fury and outrage on her face.

"Kathleen Augustine Stabler, you have exactly five seconds to get back into that house unless you want out of it for good! That goes for you, too, young man!" She screamed at them.

"Elizabeth," Kathy said, the same look of fury in her eyes, "Get in the house, you slut!"

Elliot stood in shock. _This isn't my wife…she's a completely different…my God, what happened to the women I married?_ He snapped out of his shock as his children slowly started to walk towards their grandmother's house. He gently took hold of Elizabeth's shoulder, holding her back, Casey doing the same with the other two, both of them then stepping in between Kathy and his children.

Elliot forced his voice to be gentle but firm as he addressed his children.

"You guys," He said, "Get in the car. I'll be there in a minute."

Casey gently guided the kids to the car, keeping an arm firmly around Kathleen. Once they were safely out of hearing range, Elliot snapped around, his eyes flashing.

"I don't know what the hell your problem is," Elliot said, his voice shaking with rage, "But if you think I'm letting my children walk into that house, you're insane. Elizabeth was raped, Kathy, the last thing she needs is her mother thinking she's a whore!"

"The kids are behaving like crap, Elliot. Unlike you, I'm not going to spoil them!"

"This is Kathleen, Kathy! She doesn't cry easily, so I don't know what the hell you said or did, but you can bet I'm going to find out," He said, getting into the car.

"Kathleen," He asked, "What happened?"

"Why don't we talk at the house?" Casey offered, knowing that Kathleen probably wanted some time to regain her composure. Her assumptions were confirmed by the grateful glance Kathleen shot at her.

Elliot looked over at her as she gently squeezed Kathleen's hand reassuringly. _She really does love my kids…_He realized. _Which was one of the first things I required when it came to dating again…

* * *

_

"So," Elliot said, sitting down in the living room with Casey and his kids, "What happened?"

"Mom's been…a little weird lately." Rich said.

"A little?" Kathleen scoffed, "She only freaking called Elizabeth a whore who seduced a priest, _after_ she heard the results of the rape kit!"

"_What_?" Elliot said, his eyes then falling onto Elizabeth. Kathleen then realized that her sister didn't know what her mother had said, and buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, no…" Kathleen whispered, "Lizzie, I am so sorry."

"She…she…she…she said that?" Elizabeth asked, sobbing, "She **said that**? Oh, God…oh, God…oh my God…"

"Come here, honey." Casey said, pulling Elizabeth onto her lap and rocking her. Only able to imagine how it felt to have your own mother say that about you, Casey's heart was breaking for Elizabeth, up to the point where empathetic tears of her own started to fall.

"What else has she said?" Elliot asked, his rage barely controlled.

"She called Rich a disgrace to Catholicism the last time he looked at a video game." Kathleen admitted

"And Kathleen a stupid whore when she told her that Elizabeth had been raped, and hadn't seduced anyone, and for trying to stick up for me." Rich said.

"Has she been this way since we divorced?" Elliot asked.

"Right before the divorce," Elizabeth admitted.

"Has she ever physically hurt one of you?" Casey asked, her arm still around Elizabeth, whose sobs were starting to reside.

"She slapped Kathleen tonight, and then Kathleen left, and I went after her…and then you came. It's just gonna get worse." Rich said, "I don't want to go back!"

"You don't have to," Elliot soothed, "I'm fighting for sole custody. We're gonna get through this, you guys. And it's all going to be great."

"You actually want us to stay with you?" Kathleen asked.

Elliot's heart broke all over again at the looks on his children's faces.

"Of course I do."

* * *

AN: Well, there you go, people. What do you think? You can tell us via that wonderful blue button that allows you to express your opinion. No flames, please. By the way, neither of us thinks that Kathy's a biotch. A little stupid for leaving Elliot, maybe, but we don't think she's like this…it just worked for the story. 


	7. Chapter Seven

AN: It's been forever. We know. Try not to hate us.

* * *

One Week Later:

Olivia Benson smiled as Elliot and Casey walked into the squad room late Monday night. The call had reached Cragen an hour ago, but Olivia was the one who got to break the news.

"Sit down, you guys."

"What happened?" Elliot demanded.

"Father Joseph is in interrogation room number one."

Both joy and rage flashed in Elliot's eyes; joy that his daughter would probably be able to sleep that night, and rage towards the priest for raping his daughter.

"Let me in there." Elliot said, his eyes flashing.

"No," Casey said, then explained to Elliot, "I want him to live to get into prison so his fellow inmates can…well, you know what they do."

"She's got a point," Elliot admitted.

"She does," Olivia said, "How are the kids?"

It had been a week since Elliot had taken the kids. Elliot was fighting for custody; the court date was set for later that month.

Elliot sighed.

"Elizabeth is a nervous wreck…hopefully this will make her feel better. Kathleen is…she's getting there. She hates Kathy right now. I don't blame her. As for Dickie…Rich, as he's now insisting on being called, he's doing all right. They're all getting therapy…from Huang."

Casey laughed at the look that crossed Elliot's face on the word 'therapy'.

"And we all know how this man feels about therapy." She laughed.

"Yes…we do." Olivia sighed, "I have to get back to work. Give the kids a hug from me. By the way, when are you back from desk duty?"

"Three more days of paperwork," Elliot groaned, "Cragen thinks it's too risky for me to be dealing with…rapists right now."

"Well, have fun filling out forms. I'll see you when you get back." Olivia offered.

"Bye, Olivia."

Elliot smiled over at Casey as they walked out of the squad room.

"What time are you off work?" He asked

"I'm done for the day." She admitted

Casey felt her heart fluttering. _You fool,_ she told herself, _his life as he knows it is crumbling. He doesn't have time for you. He **shouldn't** have time for you. He needs to be with his kids…oh, God, Ell, no, don't do this to me…_She thought as he started to lean in, smiling.

"Well, why don't we finally go on that date?"

Casey felt everything within her going weak. All she could do was nod.

* * *

Casey smiled across the table in a coffee shop across from the precinct, sipping her cappuccino. She was still amazed that Elliot Stabler, of all people, had asked her out. _I don't know what to say..._

"So,"

"Well,"

She and Elliot both spoke at the same time, then both laughed.

"The hearing is in three weeks, right? How's the lawyer I recommended?" Casey asked.

"Oh, she's great. Are you going to testify?"

"You bet your ass! I'm going to make Kathy regret the very day she…yes. Yes, I am."

"You know, Casey, I really want to thank you for being here so much for the kids the last week. I know it means a lot to them to have you around. What Kathy did to them…having a woman around, telling them how wonderful they are…I owe you. The kids really do love you."

"Thanks, Ell. So," Casey asked, "How are they really doing?"

Elliot sighed. This was Casey. She was a prosecutor. Eventually, the truth would always come out.

"It's hard. I know they're hurting beyond anything I can imagine, and I don't know what I can do to make it better. I'm thinking about putting them in private school. St. Mary's has a parochial school and they all qualify for scholarships. I've always wanted to put them in private school, but…who knows how they feel about it?"

"Talk to them." Casey advised, "Communication is everything. And…well, I don't want to try and shrink you, but…how are you doing?"

"I don't know, Casey. I don't know anymore."

* * *

Elizabeth looked cautiously around the squad room before she entered. She didn't want her father to know she was here tonight. She had come to see Huang, which her father had no problem with whatsoever, but she hated the pained look he gave her every time he glanced her way.

Maureen had dropped her off, and was across the way in a coffee shop, waiting for Elizabeth to get done with Huang. Elizabeth always had nightmares at night, but she found it helped if she talked to George. She slipped past Olivia, who was so engrossed in her paperwork that she didn't notice the teen.

Elizabeth noticed Munch and Fin's desk were empty; she hoped they had gotten a lead with Father Joseph. She knocked on George's door, and after hearing a soft 'come in,' entered the room shyly.

Huang looked up and smiled, always happy to see Elizabeth. However, when his eye caught the clock on the wall, his grin diminished and a worried gaze replaced it.

"It's really late, Elizabeth!" he exclaimed. "Did you come here all by yourself?" Elizabeth shook her head and took her place at one of their chairs in the room. She curled up in it, resting her head against the back.

"Maureen drove me. She's waiting for me to be finished." She looked up at him and Huang found himself gazing into a pair of empty eyes; eyes that were once so full of life and joy. He realized then that Elizabeth's condition was much worse than he originally thought.

Every move she made was lifeless. Her skin was pale and deep shadows were under her eyes. She looked gaunt and tired. Huang saw that she was beginning to retreat into herself.

"What do you want to talk about?" Huang asked. Elizabeth was silent for a moment, then shrugged her small shoulders.

"I don't know… I can't even remember why I came here." she said tonelessly. George sat back in his chair. "I guess I wanted somebody else to talk to; someone who wouldn't pity me. Just… talk to me."

Elizabeth hated being pitied. Ever since the rape, she felt like she was being suffocated from all the sympathy. Everybody kept asking her if she was all right. If she was okay. She just wanted to talk to someone without feeling like she was being felt sorry for.

"Well then," Huang said, "talk." Elizabeth looked up at him, a small smile gracing her facing. And she began to speak. She spoke of everything, everything but the rape. She spoke of how she missed school, her friends, and her classes. She spoke of how Rich and her had played video games for five hours straight, and how she had never won a single game. She spoke of how she wanted to go to Disney World someday, and how she wanted to join ballet.

And Huang just listened. He was not 'shrinking' her this time. Her merely listened to her, laughed with her, and even told her some of his own childhood memories. But he didn't pity her. He just talked to her. Just like she wanted.

* * *

Across the way, in the café, Maureen sat at a booth by herself, reading a book she had brought along. Suddenly, two very familiar voices brought her out of her reverie, and towards the speakers. It was her father and Casey. From where she was, she could see and hear them clearly, but they couldn't see her. Unable to resist, she put down her book and listened.

"…Thanks again for being here…" she heard her father say. "I know my kids really appreciate it." Maureen grinned as her father reached across the table and took Casey's hand. "I really appreciate it." Casey blushed prettily but did not remove her hand.

"…do this again sometime?" Casey nodded. Maureen practically squealed with joy. Her father was dating Casey! Or, well, so it seemed. But that didn't diminish her happiness. She loved having Casey around, and could see that her father truly cared for her. Her beeper buzzed and she looked down, seeing Elizabeth's number flash across the screen.

Time to go. Maureen stood up and threw her coffee away, glancing over her shoulder as she left the restaurant. Casey and her father were still talking animatedly, despite all that had gone on recently. A grin surfaced and she headed towards the precinct.

Elizabeth was going to love this...

* * *

Fin and Munch looked through the window at Father Joseph. Munch couldn't help but clench his fists at the sight of him. This bastard had taken away the innocence of a little girl who was like a niece to him… Fin was glad to see Father Joseph was sweating. Fin knew that Father Joseph knew he was caught.

Cragen entered the viewing room and nodded to the pair.

"Go on inside and have a little chat with Father Joseph here" He handed the detectives DNA sheets and a picture of Elizabeth. "Don't rough him up too bad."

Fin and Munch didn't even glance at each other as they entered the room. Father Joseph stood as soon as they entered, but Fin forced him back down into his chair.

"Sit down, _Father!_" he snarled. "What made you do it?" Father Joseph feigned confusion.

"Do what?"

Munch spoke up.

"Don't even try to pull that crap with us!" He slid the DNA evidence towards Father Joseph. "We know you raped her, so why don't you just fess up?"

"I didn't-!" Fin put his face down close to Father Joseph's.

"Your DNA matches, you bastard!" he whispered. "I'd rethink what you're about to say!" Father Joseph stared stonily back.

"I think I need my lawyer now."


	8. Chapter Eight

AN: We both know that it's been forever. Can anyone say writer's block? Ahhh...for those of you who have stayed with us, thanks a lot! We owe you!

* * *

Elizabeth was bored. Extremely bored. She wanted to _do _something! She wanted to go back to school, as crazy as it seemed. School. She shuddered. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back to _her_ school. Elizabeth knew that as soon as she walked through those double doors, she would be bombarded with questions.

"_Where were you?" _

"_Are you okay?" _

"_I heard that you were in the hospital, and that you talked to cops. Is it true?"_

And so on. Elizabeth wasn't sure she could handle it.

_In a way_, Elizabeth mused, _I guess I want to start all over. It'd be easier than facing everyone back at school. _

Right now, Elizabeth was at home, absently flipping through channels on TV. Nothing good was on, so she walked over to a nearby shelf and grabbed a random DVD. Elizabeth looked down at the case. _Pirates of the Caribbean. _Good enough.

About a half an hour into the movie, her father bounded into the living room, a grin on his face. Elliot was ecstatic. Father Joseph was in custody. Elizabeth seemed to be making progress. His case against Kathy was strong… everything was going as well as they could be.

He noticed the T.V was on and saw his daughter dozing on the couch. He smiled softly and moved closer as he studied her face that was now relaxed in sleep. God, he still couldn't believe this had happened to his baby girl. His sweet baby girl.

_At least she finds peace in her dreams, _Elliot mused. He couldn't even begin to fathom what she went through while she was awake. Having everybody look at her sympathetically. Having a secret that should never have formed. Elliot shook his head. It was too much of a burden for any child.

Elizabeth stirred slightly and sighed, a smile coming to her face. Elliot smiled himself. _She'll be all right. She's a Stabler. She'll get through this. _Elliot moved to turn off the T.V, but was stopped by a muted sound of protest.

"I was watching that…" Elizabeth mumbled groggily. Elliot snorted, but left the movie on.

"Looks like you were watching the inside of your eyelids to me, Liz," he teased.

"Haven't you seen this movie a hundred times?" Elizabeth grinned and threw a couch pillow at her father.

"No way! Only fifty times." Elliot caught the pillow easily and hit Elizabeth softly over the head with it.

"You wanna watch with me?" Elizabeth continued, scooting over to make some room for Elliot. Elliot glanced at his daughter and shrugged his shoulders.

"Why not?" he crawled onto the couch and immediately, Elizabeth was in his arms, giving him a hug.

"Thanks daddy." Elliot smiled and placed a kiss on Elizabeth's head. The entire movie was silent, save for the laughter of Elizabeth and Elliot as they tried to impersonate Jack Sparrow.

* * *

"Mr. Holland, why am I here?" Casey asked tiredly. Mr. Holland, Father Joseph's lawyer, had asked for a meeting. Casey shot a dirty look at Father Joseph. She couldn't help it. This man had destroyed a little girl.

"We've come to ask for a plea bargain." Mr. Holland said. Casey snorted derisively. She spoke up before Mr. Holland could continue.

"A plea bargain? Mr. Holland, we have your client's DNA matching the rape victim. We have record of your client fleeing from the police. And as soon as your client is identified in the lineup, we have a rock-solid case. No bargain will be made." Casey said firmly.

She stood to leave, but was stopped by Father Joseph.

"This was my first offence!" he said wildly. "I am a man of God! Show some mercy!"

Casey glared back at him.

"Did you show any mercy on the thirteen year old girl whose life you destroyed?" she hissed.

She opened the door and motioned to the officer to take Father Joseph back to his cell. Casey flipped open her cell phone and quickly dialed Cragen.

"Captain, I need you to get Elizabeth and Elliot down to the precinct for a line up." She could hear Cragen sigh on the other end of the line.

"Can we really ask that of Elizabeth? I mean, so soon…"

Casey felt her chest tighten painfully. She didn't want to cause Elizabeth any more pain, but the sooner the trial was over, the sooner Elizabeth could get on with her life.

"I'm sorry Captain. But she needs to do this."

* * *

It was around seven o'clock when Elliot got the call. He and Lizzie had fallen asleep on the couch, and his cell phone had awoken them both. Elizabeth groaned and rolled over on the couch as her father fumbled for his cell phone. She giggled quietly as Elliot stumbled off the couch and banged his knee on a coffee table.

Swearing softly, Elliot answered the phone with a gruff 'what!'

"Yeah… what? She has to… why now?"

Elizabeth listened to parts of the conversation. It didn't sound good. She sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Elliot nodded and sighed into the phone.

"Okay… yeah. We'll be there in a few minutes…" Elliot snapped his phone shut and glanced over at his daughter with regret in his eyes. Elizabeth felt uneasy.

"Is everything all right?" she asked softly.

Elliot sighed and kneeled in front of his daughter.

"Casey…" he began. "Well, she wants- she _needs _you to pick Father Joseph out of a line up."

Elizabeth seized up at this. She'd have to see her attacker again! She began totear up, but something in her stopped the tears from spilling over.

_I'd have to see him at the trial, _she reasoned with herself. _This will be good…practice._

Practice. Who was she kidding? She just wanted to get used to seeing him. She just wanted to get over her fear. _Well, this is a good as time as any…_

"I'll do it." Elizabeth said firmly. Elliot smiled softly, leaned forward and placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

* * *

Cragen paced back and forth as he awaited Elliot and Elizabeth. Munch and Fin were silent; they were wondering how Elizabeth would be able to handle this. Soon, they heard Elliot's worried voice coming through the doors.

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked as they entered. Elizabeth sighed.

"_Yes, _daddy." she replied exasperatedly. Elizabeth glanced up and saw the other detectives.

"Hey Uncle Munch!" she said cheerfully. But her happiness did not reach her eyes. She fooled no one with her joyful demeanor. Elizabeth reached forward and gave Fin a hug.

"Hey Uncle Fin." Fin grinned and ruffled Elizabeth's hair as she pulled back.

"Where's Olivia?" Elliot asked, noticing his partner's absence.

"She's at court." Cragen replied. "Lizzie, are you ready?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath to steady her nerves and nodded.

"Follow me." John said. He held out his hand and Elizabeth took it. She could feel her heart pounding and already knew that she wouldn't be handling this experience as well as she thought. She smiled back at her father as she stepped into the room and watched John close the door. She smiled over at Casey, grateful for the ADA's prescence.

"Just remember, you can see them, but they can't see you…"

"No coaching, detective." The other man- she was assuming that it was Father Joseph's attorney- said.

"Elizabeth," Casey offered, "Ignore the jerk in the suit, okay? Do you know any of these men?"

She wanted to collapse. He was there. He was there! Holy Mary…she wasn't ready for this. She couldn't do it, couldn't face him, couldn't…

"N-n-number…t-three…"

"How do you know this man?"

Elizabeth realized that her voice box had taken over…was this happening? Really happening? The man who had raped her was separated from her only by petty glass!

"He…he raped me."

"Thanks, Lizzie." Casey offered, "You can go back out now."

Elizabeth walked out with confidence. She'd done it. He was behind bars, and he wouldn't be able to hurt her again.

She would kick his ass in court, too, so help her God.

She would make the right decisions.

* * *

Until next post, adios! Please review! 


	9. Epilogue

AN: Hi everyone. We (Wynter Nytes and FaithHopeLove) have had to cut this story short for personal reasons. We have written an epilogue to tie up all loose ends.

* * *

Elizabeth Stabler went on to testify against Father Joseph. He was found guilty, but before he could finish a year of his sentance, he was killed in prison. 

Elizabeth continued to recieve therapy from George Huang, and found as time went on, that she gained more and more respect for the psychologist and his position. She went on to graduate from New York University with a degree in psychology.

Elliot and Kathy Stabler went to family court, in a heated custody battle. Elliot was given primary custody privelages, Kathy given weekly visitation rights.

Kathy re-married and moved to Manhattan with her new husband. She managed to restore her relationship with all of her children, and she and Elliot managed to put aside their past problems and be civil.

Elliot and Casey continued dating, and a year after the trial, Elliot proposed. He and Casey were married a year later, and a year after that, they had a daughter.

Who they named Olivia.


End file.
